Bearings



Feb- 5, 1963 E. A. AvALLoNE ETAL 3,076,524

f BEARINGS Filed Feb. s, 1960 ATT YS.

3,076,524 Vl-"iiientedv Feb. 5, v1963 l' 3,076,524 j Y lingerie;` Avallone, Chauncey, and Richard l M. Staff, Yonkers N.HY.,lassgnors `to Eastern Rolling Mills, Inc., New York, NX., @corporation of New York Filed` ebt 8, `1960, Ser. No.` 7,444r Y p v 43 Claims."l (Cl. 18d-7)l t t The present invention relates to bearings, especiallyy to' improvedcontrols for` the lubricant supply to hydrostaticV bearings inA whichfa pressurized lubricant supplied fiom an external source-is caused to ow through the bearings to provide a fluid lilm separating themoving parts of the bearing and supporting the load thereof.` 1 A primary object. of the present invention isftoprovidea,l control ,Y system for hydrostatic bearings providing `al umform support; throughoutthe "bearing-'fior fafiminber supported by the pressurized lubricant Wherebyrnisaligni ment due toeccentric or off-center loading ofthe member supported inthe bearingis precluded: i* v The p resent invention `isa'n improvement fon' the control for hydrostatic bearings disclosed in Col-'Iiending application entitled, Bearings/fiiled byJDudley-'Fuller et al. on September'lS, F1959, S.N."838',466;.a`nd assignedl'to the' assignee ofv the :present: application '.'The control system of the presentinventioncontemplates 'controlling the iuid' supply to` anelongated bearing sothat'anniform support-1 ing` filmcis maintained 'throughoutrthelength of the'v bear-T ing whereby the. member supportedzinthe bearing is' -positioned `coaxiallyfof the hearingmtralhtimes.' In: this manner, :when for:- example the baringisfused. to lsupport a'. shafta'tits :outer endsandsthe'rshaftissubjected to an oi# centerr load; the shaft is? precluded fromvv contacting lthe bearings directlyduetoithe uniform ,supporting yfilms providedv in .the ibearngs'by; the control system .of the pres` entinventiom.v i n All of ,theobjects of )the invention/,and the'various fea'- tures :anddetails of the construction and operation thereof are more 1full'y zset forth hereinafter:with'reference: to the accompanying drawing-wherein: p

FIG. 1 is faechematic diagram of the hydraulic circuit for the control system of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 :is an enlarged' view partially in section showing theconstruction oftthe bearing. lr u L f Referring more'spe'cically to the ldraw-ings and particullarlyFIG.- I thereoreference numeral 10 designates a roll rotatably mounted., at its `outer ends in hydrostatic bjea'r ings11. A pair l,of rolls are shown which mayforin the elements-of a rollI stand. Y n

In accordance with the present invention means is provided to continuously supply lubricant to the bearings so that each cylindrical member or journal of the rolls is supported coaxially of the bearing at all times. VTo this end each bearing 11 is provided with a plurality of high pressure recesses into which lubricant is continuously supplied from a plurality of supply lines. As illustrated in FIG. 2, each bearing is provided with outer and inner high pressure recesses 13 and 14 respectively which through channels 15 and 16 and fittings 17 and 18 connect the recesses with supply lines 19` and 20. The lubricant supplied through the fittings is caused to ow out through the bearing into a pair of drain grooves 22 whichl collect the lubricant and return it to a reservoir shown diagrammatically at 23 through a tting 24. The bearing is a complete bearing and is sealed as indicated at 25 so that `the entire flow of the lubricant is into the reservoir 23. From the reservoir 23, the lubricant is returned to the system as set forth more fully hereinafter by means of a lubricant feed pump 26 driven by an electric motor 28.

Means are provided to supply fluid through the supply lines at a uniform predetermined rate. Since the system Uersdfses Pate 955C? former 29A having a hydraulic inlet 29a and a lubricant outlet 29B including a solenoid valve 301. In the present instance',` the hydraulicl transformer 29 comprises a cylin dei-31 having a piston 32 therein,tforming at one end a` chamber 33 for the lubricant, and at the other end a chamber 34 for the control hydraulic iluid.` .The chambers areconstructed so that expansion of one chamber effects a corresponding collapse or contraction of the other. The hydraulic iluid is supplied to the chamber 34 through the hydraulic inlet 29alincluding a line 35 having a flow controlvalve 36, in the present instance, a pressure-compensated -valve operable to provide con stant llow, and a checkvalve 55. The inlet 29a is connected'to' a solenoid valve 37, and a pump 38 driven by an 'electrimotor 39. The valve -36 eects va controlled constant flow `oihydraulic fluid into the chamber 34 to cause `the piston 32 to elevate and discharge lubricantsv through lthe line19'into the recess' 1310i the bearing. Since -thelh'ydraulic fluid may be oflow viscosity relative to the" highly viscous lubricant, control of .the hydraulic fluid -by-the valve 36 isrelatively simple" 'and economical. Because of diife'rentialV eiect ofthe piston-'Tod 411 Within the chamber 33, the transformer -29 steps'u'p .the .pressure transferred frorn the hydraulic side-to the lubricant side of the-transformer 29; Thus the'hydraulictransformer insures effective-operation of thehydr'ostatic 'bearing 11.

the llow control valve 36 Means is provided to char-'ge the lubricant chambers 331 of-'the several hydraulic transformers 29 when the supply of-flubric'anty therein is depleted. Tothis lendzwhen the suppl-y of lubricant in the chamber islow,which may be indicated for `example by Van` indicatorwhichgives any audible or visible signal at a1 predetermined liquid level, thesleiioid'valves` 30 areclosed, the solenoid valve 37 is opened 'and the motor 28 is started to actuate thepuinp 25-fo'i pumpiriglubricant from' lthe reservoir Z3 into the lines 60 and'flf. and through che'ck valves 48'. Flow 0f the lubricant info 'the "several-'chambers `j33 drives'the pistons 32 downwardly' and discharges thel'hydraulic'uid from the chamber-SYM through a check valve .55 bypassing and into a sump '56 byway of th-solenoid'valve 37. s n 1. l -4 Wh'enUthe piston 32 reaches a predetermined lower limit position, the m'otor'ZS driving Vpump 26 isrshut off. Valve 30 is then actuated to the open position and the valve 37 is actuated to the illustrated position to render the system operative to provide the necessary flow of lubricant through the bearings 11. A suitable electric circuit is provided to actuate the motors 28 and 39 and the solenoid valves 30 and 37.

It is understood that the recharge system also may be effectively operated by manually-operated valves instead of the solenoid valves 30' and 37. On the other hand, a circuit may be provided to automatically re-charge the system when the lubricant supply becomes depleted.

In the operation of the system of the present invention, a continuous uniform flow of lubricant is supplied to the recesses 13 and 14 at opposite sides of the transverse center plane 70 of the elongated bearing through the supply lines 19 and 20 respectively. VThis provides a continuous film of lubricant throughout the length of the bearing. Accordingly a tendency of the member supported in the bearing to tilt or cant, when for example an off-center load is applied thereto, is overcome since the uniform fluid flow at opposite ends of the elongated bearing provides a continuous lm throughout the length of the bearing. Since the system is not affected by pressure changes in the supply lines which may result from load changes in the member supported, it is apparent that the roll is maintained coaxially of the bearing at all times. Spacing of recesses adjacent opposite endsof an elongated bearing and providing separate supply lines for the recesses with flow control means therein to assure uniform flow are features of the present invention which provide the improved bearing support.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to a hydraulic cylinder type of transformer it is apparent that'other hydraulic transformers may be substituted for those illustrated in Vthe drawing. Likewise, a pressure-compensated ow control valve providing a con stant flow has been illustrated and described, but other flow'control components may be employed without departure from the present invention. Other modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A lubricant supply system for an elongated hydrostatic bearing for a cylindrical journal member rotatable therein, comprising in combination, means defining sep` arate and independent lubricant recesses in the bearing confronting the surface of said journal member at opposite sides of a transverse central plane of the bearing, separate and independent conduits connected respectively with said recesses providing for the supply of lubricant to said recesses, separate and independent supply lines connected respectively with said conduits, separate and independent lubricant supply means for continuously sup-l plying lubricant to each of said supply lines, each of said lubricant supply means including flow control means for separately and independently controlling the yflow of lubricant to its respective supply line, and means for continuously collecting lubricant llowing through said bearing, said lubricant flow control means including a lubricant supply chamber connected to each of said supply lines, and means for forcing lubricant from said supply chamber to the line at a uniformly constant rate to thereby insure a constant predetermined flow of lubricant` to theV line for each end of the bearing.

2. A lubricant supply system for an elongated hydrostatic bearing for a cylindrical journal member rotatable therein, comprising in combination, means defining separate and independent lubricant recesses in the bearing confronting the surface of said journal Vmember at opposite sides of a transverse central plane of the bearing, separate and independent conduits connected respectively with said recesses providing for' the supply of lubricantl to said recesses, separate and independent supply lines connected respectively with-said conduits, separate and independent lubricant supply means for continuously supplying lubricant to each of said supply lines, each of said lubricant supply means including flow control means for separately and independently cont-rolling the flow of lubricant to its respective supply line, and means for continuously collecting lubricant flowing through said bearing, said lubricant flow control means including a collapsible lubricant supply chamber connected to each of the lubricant supply lines to supply high-viscosity lubricant thereto, an expandible hydraulic fluid chamber adjacent each of said lubricant supply 4chambers and having associated means operatively connected thereto to collapse said lubricant supply chamber upon expansion of said hydraulic fluid chamber, means to supply low-viscosity hydraulic fluid to said expandible hydraulic fluid chamber to expand the same, and ilow control means between said hydraulic fluid supply means and said expandible hydraulic chamber to control the rate of ow of hydraulic fluid to said hydraulic `fluid chamber and thereby control the rate of collapse of said lubricant supply chamber and consequently the rate of flow of lubricant to the line for each end of said bearing.

3. vA lubricant supply system for an elongated hydro- -static bearing for a cylindrical journal vmember rotatable therein, comprising incombination, means defining separate and independent lubricant recesses in the bearing confronting the surface of said journalfmember at oppo site sidesof a transverse central plane of the' bearing, separate and independent conduits connected respectively with said recesses providing for the supply of lubricant to said recesses, separate and independent supply lines con-Y nected respectively with said conduits, separate and independent lubricant supply means for continuously supply ing-lubricant to each of Said supply lines, each of said lubricant supply'means including llow control means for separately and independently controlling the flow of lu'bri# cant to its respective supply line, and means for continuously collecting lubricant flowing through said bear ing, said means for collecting the lubricant from said bearing including collecting recesses in said bearing outboard of said lubricant recesses providing for outboard flow of lubricant on each'side of the transverse central plane from a lubricant supplyfrecess to a lubricant collecting recess, said bearing also including sealing means located at each end outboard of said collecting recess.

References' Cited in the file of this patent Y UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,638,287 

1. A LUBRICANT SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR AN ELONGATED HYDROSTATIC BEARING FOR A CYLINDRICAL JOURNAL MEMBER ROTATABLE THEREIN, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, MEANS DEFINING SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT LUBRICANT RECESSES IN THE BEARING CONFRONTING THE SURFACE OF SAID JOURNAL MEMBER AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF A TRANSVERSE CENTRAL PLANE OF THE BEARING, SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT CONDUITS CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY WITH SAID RECESSES PROVIDING FOR THE SUPPLY OF LUBRICANT TO SAID RECESSES, SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT SUPPLY LINES CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY WITH SAID CONDUITS, SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT LUBRICANT SUPPLY MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY SUPPLYING LUBRICANT TO EACH OF SAID SUPPLY LINES, EACH OF SAID LUBRICANT SUPPLY MEANS INCLUDING FLOW CONTROL MEANS FOR SEPARATELY AND INDEPENDENTLY CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF LUBRICANT TO ITS RESPECTIVE SUPPLY LINE, AND MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY COLLECTING LUBRICANT FLOWING THROUGH SAID BEARING, SAID LUBRICANT FLOW CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING A LUBRICANT SUPPLY CHAMBER CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID SUPPLY LINES, AND MEANS FOR FORCING LUBRICANT FROM SAID SUPPLY CHAMBER TO THE LINE AT A UNIFORMLY CONSTANT RATE TO THEREBY INSURE A CONSTANT PREDETERMINED FLOW OF LUBRICANT TO THE LINE FOR EACH END OF THE BEARING. 